Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has called upon allied political parties to work together in unity to build the country, echoing the spirit of their past collaborations.
Tarique made the call during a greeting exchange and dinner held on Monday night, at the State Guest House Jamuna.
The event was attended by 184 members from 41 political parties, although the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam did not participate in the session.
A new chapter in democratic journey
During the exchange, Saiful Huq, general secretary of the Revolutionary Workers Party, asked the prime minister if the event was a farewell dinner. In response, Tarique clarified that it was a welcome dinner and explained that regular meetings would now be held, which had previously been difficult due to the pressures of state affairs.
Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, president of Gono Forum, and Syed Mahbub Hossain, leader of the Peoples Party, both noted that there are no divisions among the partners of the concurrent movement.
Lawmaker Shahadat Hossain Salim emphasised that those who participated in the movement for the last 15 years would continue to walk together, vowing not to form any alliance with autocrats or underground elements.
Briefing journalists after the event, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir described the meeting, held five months after the formation of the government, as highly significant.
He characterised the gathering of comrades from the 15-to-16-year struggle as a new chapter in the country’s democratic journey and state reform.
Fakhrul began his briefing by paying deep respect to the martyrs of the July 2024 student-led mass uprising, stating that the sacrifices of those killed and injured had created the opportunity to end fascism and restore a democratic environment.
Commitment to reform and public welfare
Highlighting the activities of the government over the past five months, Mirza Fakhrul noted that public welfare has been prioritised, including a waiver of agricultural loans up to Tk 10,000 with interest.
Other key measures include the distribution of Family Cards and Farmer Cards, the provision of allowances for Imams, Priests, Fathers, and athletes, and the commencement of canal excavation programmes.
He explained that the government had inherited a collapsed state and economic structure, and work has already begun to reconstruct various institutions, including the banking sector, to return them to normalcy.
Regarding state reforms, Fakhrul stated that the 31-point programme announced during the concurrent movement would be implemented letter by letter. He added that the prime minister is firmly committed to the full implementation of the July Sanad, which was signed with the consensus of all political parties.
Tarique intends to hold regular meetings with top leaders of the allied parties to maintain national unity and coordinate political issues and state reforms.
Regarding local government elections, the Secretary General noted that current laws do not allow for party-based elections, and a decision on this matter will be made later.
